Less than seven hours after announcing the firing of third-year head coach Charlie Strong, University of Texas officially names Tom Herman as the Longhorns next head coach.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PRESS RELEASE: Tom Herman named Texas Head Football Coach

A Texas Ex with deep ties to the state of Texas, including the last two seasons as head coach at the University of Houston, Tom Herman becomes the 30th head coach at Texas.

Austin -- A Texas Ex and former University of Texas graduate assistant with deep ties to the state of Texas, including the last two seasons as head coach at the University of Houston, Tom Herman has been named the 30th Head Football Coach at The University of Texas, Men's Athletics Director Mike Perrin announced Saturday. Herman will be introduced at a Sunday news conference at a time to be announced later. The contract is pending approval by the UT System Board of Regents. Details will be released shortly thereafter.

“The opportunity to come back to Texas is a dream come true for me and my family, and I can’t thank President Fenves and Mike Perrin enough for providing me with this incredible opportunity,” Herman said. “Longhorn football has been – and always will be – a national power, winning and playing for national championships with great pride and passion, supported by an unbelievable fan base.

“When President Fenves, Mike and I met late last night and into the morning, I came away very impressed with their unified vision and commitment to football, and I’m excited to be the head coach at the flagship university of the greatest state in the union. I am eager to get to Austin as soon as possible, to spend time with our student-athletes and to get to work.”

"I’m thrilled to have Tom Herman joining us as our head football coach,” Perrin said. “I am impressed with his insights on college sports, football and academic success, and his philosophy of developing the student-athlete into the complete person. He clearly has a passion and respect for the game of football, and also, a passion for teaching young men the game and the life lessons that come with that.”

“In Tom Herman, Longhorn football is getting a proven competitor, terrific recruiter, and committed mentor of student-athletes who has shown his ability to succeed at all levels,” UT President Gregory L. Fenves said. “Tom was the hottest young head coach in the country the past two seasons, and I am thrilled we are able to get him back to UT to lead Texas football.”

Herman comes to Texas after compiling a 22-4 record in two seasons at Houston, the fourth-best record in the FBS in that span. His first season as head coach at Texas will mark his 14th spent in the state of Texas out of 20 years coaching on the collegiate level. That includes his time as a graduate assistant at UT (1999-2000), where he earned a master’s degree in education.

“While working as a graduate assistant coach at UT and earning my master’s degree, I learned so much about college football from mentors like Mack Brown and Greg Davis,” Herman said. “I had been a Division III college football player with my only coaching experience at Texas Lutheran when I was hired and UT thrust me into major college football and helped build the foundation for my career.”

Following his first season at UH, Herman was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson and Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Awards, while also being chosen as the Football Writers Association of America’s First-Year Coach of the Year and the American Athletic Conference’s Co-Coach of the Year.

“I want to thank the University of Houston, the administration, the fans and especially the players for an unbelievable two years,” Herman said. “My family and I will be forever grateful.”

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